The Goldthwaite Eagle (Goldthwaite, Tex.), Vol. 109, No. 13, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 12, 2005 Page: 4 of 22
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Mills County Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Jennie Trent Dew Library.
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Page 4 -- The Goldthwaite Eagle-Mullin Enterprise, Wed., Oct. 12,2005
Hamilton-Soules House receives honor of
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
The Texas Historical Commission (THC) had recognized the
Hamilton-Soules House as a significant structure in Texas His-
tory by naming it a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL).
The designation is the highest honor the state bestows to a his-
toric structure for architectural integrity and historical associa-
tions.■
A dedication ceremony will be held to commemorate the event
on October 14, 2005, at Hamilton-Soules House, 320 FM South
104?. Speakers for the afternoon will include Judge Rob Lindsey,
Chairman of the MCHC, R.C. Edmondson and other dignitaries,
to share in and witness this exciting historical event.
“Historic structures serve as directories of early residents and
reflect the cultural influences that helped shape our state’s com-
munities. The Recorded Texas Historic Landmark helps bring
attention to these community, treasures and the importance of
their preservation,” said Larry Oaks, executive director of the
THC. "Awareness and education are among the best ways to
guarantee the preservation of such architectural and heritage rich
sites. This designation is a tool that will increase public aware-
ness of these important cultural resources,” said Oaks.
■ A proposed marker topic must meet several criteria to qualify.
A historic structure must be at least 50 years ot age and should
retain its architectural integrity from a period of at least 50 years
ago. The structure should be in a good state of repair and an
exemplary model of preservation. Naturally, historical signifi-
cance must be demonstrated. The official Texas Marker Policies
of THC are outlines in the Official Texas Marker Guidelines and
Application Form, which may be obtained by contacting the His-
tory Programs Division, Texas Historical Commission, at 512/
463-5853 or visiting our website at www.thc.state.tx.us.
- This is the first home in Mills County to receive this desig-
nation." “It is vital that as we move forward, we do not forget
our past. Not only will the RTHL provide aw areness in the com-
munity of our fascinating history, but it will become a building
block for the promotion of local tourism.” Star has a Historical
Museum.
The RTHL is awarded far less frequently that its counter marker
type, the subject marker. Unlike subject markers, which are solely
educational in nature and reveal local historical aspects, a RTHL
is a legal designation and comes with a measure of protection.
Owners of RTHL-designated structures must give the THC 60
days notice before any alteration is made to the exterior of the
structure.
Texas has the largest historical marker program in the U.S.
with 12,000 markers. Seventeen states have used the Texas Pro-
gram as a model; the THC reviews more than 200 marker appli-
cations each year.
Hamilton-Soules home to be historical landmark
The Hamilton-Soules home lage of Star, where they joined r N
in Star is to be officially des-
ignated an historical landmark
in ceremonies to be held Oc-
tober 14 of this year. The his-
tory of this house begins with
the story of its first occupant
and the builder of the home
Thomas Edgar Hamilton. He
other family members in the
new county of Mills. Ed’s
grandparents,
James
Alexander Hamilton and Ann
Robertson Hamilton, had al-
ready settled in the Star area.
The Star of that era was a
quiet community of scattered
and his descendants have houses and small farms strung
owned and occupied this along a wagon trail that
house since it was first built, wound its way south from the
Thomas Edgar Hamilton main east-west road. Open
came to the Star community fields, meadows, and a few
with his parents in the last de- groves of live oak trees lay
cade of the nineteenth century, behind the houses. There was
He was the eldest if six sons a general store, a drug store, a
and two daughters of Thomas blacksmith shop, a post office,
Jefferson Hamilton and a cotton gin, and a grist mill, ing a house of their own. They board for many years; and in
Hamilton-Soules Home
LIONS
Amanda Ellen Yows Hamil- A school house across Gin wanted a house solid and big 1913 while serving as presi-
ton. He was born May 22, Creek served the community enough to see them to the end dent, he was instrumental in
1878, on the family farm near as school and church. Circuit of their days. The plan they getting a new two-story
the North Fork of the San riders who preached to all de- chose was a one-story design school building erected for the
Gabriel River west of nominations conducted the with a steep pitched hipped children of Star. Although
Georgetown in Williamson church services. ’ roof and a front porch wide small and limited in output,
County, Texas; and he died in The Hamilton’s homestead enough to feel like an outside the first electric plant in Star,
Star, Texas, on January 9, in Star faced east, with their room. It reflected their desire owned by Ed and his other
1933. He is buried beside his cotton fields behind. Their for solidity and simplicity. partners, was a welcome im-
wife, his parents, his grand- house, a simple one-story Family history does not provement over the trouble-
parents, and among his de- dwelling with porches front record exactly when Ed and some coal oil lamps widely in
scendants in the Hurst Ranch’ and back, was the last house Nettie started building their use before the advent of rural
Cemetery near his home, on the street before the begin- house, nor the exact date that electrification.
Hamilton was a community ning of the businesses. A1- it was finished, but family Maurine was the first of
leader, banker, a cotton ginner, though Ed’s aunt and uncle, members recall that Ed’s sec- Ed’s children to marry. She
a bookkeeper, the husband of Laura (Hamilton) and Francis ond child, a daughter named and John B. Soules, a native
Nettie Ethaline Sargent House, had moved to a farm Maurine, often said that she of Star, married on July 20,
Hamilton, and the father of in the nearby community of was born in the new house. 1918. Dumble Hamilton mar-
four children. Center City in the mid-1880’s, Maurine was born in March ried Jane Archer Brim and
When Ed was about fifteen they retained ownership of a 1902. The first documenta- continued in his father’s foot-
years old, his father sold the lot next door to the senior tion found in the Mills County steps as a banker, serving as a
family property in Coryell Hamilton, a property one and records show that “T. E. cashier for the Trent State
County and moved southwest one-half acres in size. This Hamilton purchased the land Bank, and later as an officer
some thirty miles to the vil-property was the property on on the Taylor Smith Survey in the Mills County State
which Ed eventually built a from F. M. House in March BankinGoldthwaite. Lucille
home for his family. 1905”. In addition, a warranty married Raymond “Slim”
=========-=============I Exactly when Ed met Deed from Maurine Hamilton Hurst and both lived out their
Nettie Sargent for the first was Soules to her two daughters, lives in Star, rearing three chil-
unknown, but he called on her dated December of 1984, de- dren, Thomas Ed, Annette,
and courted her, greatly im- scribes the same tract of one who still lives in Star, and
pressed with her petite figure, and one-half acres in detail as Lula Mae. Thalia married
her pretty face, and her kind “being the same land premises John Shelton from nearby
and gentle disposition. Nettie sold and conveyed to T. E. Mullin; and they moved away
was a native Texan, born Oc- Hamilton by F. M. House, by to southeast Texas, rearing
4
CLUB
Goldthwaite Lions Club
BROOM & MOP SALE
Mills County State Bank
Tuesday - October 18, 2005
Starts: 8:00 AM
For More Inf
P1
BROOM AND MOP SALE DAY
Brooms
Mops
Brushes
AND
MANY
OTHER ITEMS
Quality Cleaning Aids
for
Home, Business, or
Industry
FullyGuaranteed
LIONS
PLAN TO COME DY
Help The
Blind Help Themselves
AND
Help our Club
Help Our City
Quality Blind-Made Products
CARAVAN SALES FOR THE BLIND
ARTICLES MADE BY THE BLIND
You are cordially invited to attend our...
GOSPEL
MEETING
October 23rd - 26th, 2005
Goldthwaite Church Of Christ
1310 Reynolds Street
For More Information please call (325.648.2443)
Speaker: Garland Robinson
tober 23, 1879, the daughter deed dated August 28, 1906, one child, Lounette.
of James M. and Hannah J. when the land and premises Living not too far away
Sargent, who farmed in the were conveyed. There are were her daughter Maurine
Mound Community a few also various notary dates and her husband, John Soules,
miles southeast of Gatesville through September 11, 1907, who lived with their two
in Coryell County. Ed and according to the Mills County daughters Dorothy Jean, and
Nettie Sargent were married Clerk. Billie in their ranch near Star,
in Gatesville on Christmas The architectural style of When Nettie died in 1937,
Day 1898. By 1900 the the Hamilton-Soules house re- they moved into Nettie’s
couple was living in Coryell flects elements of the Ameri- house, continuing its mainte-
County the proud parents of can Foursquare and the Prai- nance and upkeep, and at the
their first child, a son named rie style, both widely popular same time overseeing their
Edgar Dumble Hamilton.
In the next year or so, Ed
moved his young family to
Star and began working with
his father who owned and
managed a cotton gin located
a short distance down the lane
behind the Hamilton home-
in the 1895-1930s era and ranching interests.
both representative of the Soon after her mother died
American Arts and Crafts in 1950, Maurine made a few
movement. It was a period changes in the house. The rear
when the trend in building porch was enclosed, which al-
was away from the elaborate
and pretentious Victorian ar-
chitecture to simpler and less
stead. The family kept busy formal designs. The box -
lowed for a new bath and sit-
ting room; and another small
bath was added between the
two north bedrooms. Maurine
during the ginning season shaped house features a high also enlarged the kitchen by
from August to January, gin- pitched hipped roof with attic
ning not only their own cot-
ton, but also the wagon loads
of fresh cotton brought in
dormers, a full-width concrete
taking in the old utility room.
Even with the reconfiguration
porch with red brick pedestals of the back porch area, the ex-
and brick-wall balustrades, terior appearance of the house
from the fields by other farm- The wood framing and siding, remained the same, since lum-
ers. Baled cotton was the painted white from the begin- ber from the porch was used
major cash crop. ning, were built of lumber 1a- to match the existing siding.
Nettie had become preg- boriously hauled by wagon After Maurine’s death, her
nant for the second time, and from a Gatesville lumberyard, younger daughter Billie and
because they were feeling the not an uncommon practice in
responsibilities of parenthood, those days.
she and Ed dreamed of build-
Sermon Topics
Sunday Bible Class: "If We Fail To Be
Distinctive”
Sunday AM Worship: “Judgment Day
Surprises”
Sunday PM Worship: “What Makes The
Monday Evening:
Tuesday Evening:
Church Strong"
“The Silence Of The
Scriptures”
“Why Churches Fail”
Wednesday Evening: “How To Stay Out Of
Sin” '
Schedule Of Services
Sunday Bible Class
-10:00 AM
Sunday AM Worship -10:50 AM
Sunday PM Worship
Mon. - Wed. PM
- 6:00 PM
- 7:00 PM
Originally, there were four
bedrooms, a central hall, a liv-
ing room, dining room,
kitchen, a utility room off the
kitchen, and an ell-shaped rear
porch. The original wood-
work was stained a dark
husband, Bobby Day, returned
to Star from McAllen and
moved into her grandfather’s
house. Although they redeco-
rated with new paint, wallpa-
per, and fresh curtains
throughout, they made no
structural changes. Billie and
Bobby Day are the third-gen-
brown, and both the living eration occupants of the house
room and dining room fea- at the present time. Their
tured wainscots of narrow daughter, Melanie and her
beaded vertical boards, also husband, Ben Villarreal, and
stained a dark brown. The top their family live across the
of the wainscot in the dining street from the Days.
room was covered with a During its occupancy, the
chair-rail. The utility room off Hamilton-Soules Home has
the kitchen contained a large served as a gathering place for
claw-foot bathtub. special community and fam-
Ed’s five year old son, ily occasions. The house has
Dumble, and the two-year old hosted numerous showers, re-
toddler, Maurine, were joined ceptions, and even a couple of
by a new baby sister, Lucille weddings. Annette Hurst,
in 1904, followed in 1907 by Maurine and John’s niece, and
another daughter, Thalia, Kenneth Keeney were mar-
Nettie’s final child. ried in this house. Star school
Throughout his adult life, favorite pictures were even
Ed served his community in a made here with the house
leadership capacity. The 1910 serving as a backdrop.
U.S. Census lists his occupa- As time has proven, the
tions as a bookkeeper for a dry Hamilton-Soules house did
goods store, but more impor- see Ed and Nettie to the end
tantly perhaps, it was the year of their days. It remains in-
that the Star State Bank was tact on the land where it was *
organized with Ed named as built, a benefit not only for
a director and vice-president, their descendants, but a fine
The bank continued to serve example of an architectural %
the community until it closed style marked by a return to ;
in the late 1920s. He was a simplicity, a style uniquely
trustee of the local school American.
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Bridges, G. Frank & Bridges, Georgie. The Goldthwaite Eagle (Goldthwaite, Tex.), Vol. 109, No. 13, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 12, 2005, newspaper, October 12, 2005; Goldthwaite, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1659960/m1/4/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Jennie Trent Dew Library.